Moments In Time
by Akikazemoon
Summary: Who says that the gang from The New Kids in Town are always all goofy? They have their emotional moments, too! And these are the oneshots documenting those moments, be they sad, happy, or anywhere in between.
1. Let the Rain Fall Down

A little extra story…just cause I can! This will be to document all of the emotional moments with the gang, be they happy, sad, or just plain confusing, all of them being sorta oneshot-y things! Lol I never actually planned to write this. I was attacked by plot bunnies, but now I realize that it's a good idea! So, I'll be continuing it! :D Anyway, this is the first chapter, so, enjoy! Oh, and also. This takes place after The New Kids in Town, but before the sequel! I think. XD Lol it's sometime before the sequel. XD Though, I might include a chapter with the bad guys so that I can show that they have hearts, too -3- Though I'm not so sure about Cole…lol oh well. XD Anyway, let's get on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Left 4 Dead or Left 4 Dead 2 in any way, shape, or form! I only own my own OC and the plot of the story. Commander of the Rabbids owns Sam. Sorrowsnow owns Calli. Zipper Whippersnapper owns Jeffry. Foxstar-Nikiu owns Valery. Breaking Ground owns Mike. Scorpion 123456 owns Clawer.

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It was raining. And it was raining pretty hard, too. Everyone who had been in the alley had all clustered into the safe room, moving aside boxes and bins, but keeping the door open. The only problem: It was the middle of the night, and as such, the safe room was dark. The street lights weren't working either, and so they could assume that the power had gone out. Because of this, it was pitch black inside the room. The only way to tell where someone was located in the room was by bumping into them. And because they didn't want to go tripping over everyone, everybody was just staying put.

"If there's two things I hate," Hunter grumbled, "it's rain and dark, cramped rooms."

"Well, you'll just have to deal with it for a while," came Smoker's reply. "If you hate being inside so much, you can just go outside and get wet."

"Didn't I already say that I hate the rain?"

"You're going to have to pick the lesser of two evils, I guess," Smoker shrugged by instinct, even though he realized that nobody would be able to see him. A flash lit up the room as lightning zoomed down the sky, illuminating the space through the window for a moment. Then, following directly after, a huge clap of thunder sounded overheard, startling everyone, especially those with heightened hearing. The rain was starting to come down harder.

"I don't like thunder," Calli announced for the whole room to hear.

"It's just a sound, though, right?" Sam asked. "I mean, it can't hurt anyone."

"I don't like it either," Taunter agreed with Calli.

"Me either," Jeffry was in accordance with the two girls.

"Has anybody realized how stuffy it is in here?" Mike asked, changing the subject.

"I sure have," Hunter replied. "Well, at least Tank and Witch aren't here. Tank would just go stir crazy and Witch would be crying the whole time."

"Hey, it's not her fault that she cries all the time," that time it was Clawer that spoke. Taunter, who was sitting fairly close to the door…or at least, she thought she was close…reached out her hand to try to feel how hard the rain was coming down. When she finally got her hand out of the door in the darkness, she felt that it was really pouring.

"Hey, guys…" she said slowly, bringing her hand back inside and wiping it off on her hoodie. "Why do you think that rain happens?"

"Well, isn't it that the clouds up in the sky are made of water, and that when they get colder, they-"

"Well, that's the scientific way of putting it. But I want to know…just _why_?" she asked again. "I know that it's good for the plants and everything, but what does it have to do with us?"

"There is something that some people say," Smoker said. There was a click, and his face was illuminated in the dull light from his lighter as he lit a cigarette, the light disappearing as quickly as it had come. "I once heard that rain can be described as something that washes away people's sins."

"That sounds like pretty deep stuff," Sam said, slightly surprised.

"Yeah, where did you hear that?" Valery asked.

"I'm not really sure," Smoker replied. "Maybe I heard it sometime before the infection and just remembered it now."

"Too bad that the infection didn't get washed away by the rain," Calli mumbled quietly.

"I remember that the CEDA people said that it was an airborne disease, like the flu," Mike commented to the conversation. "They said that every time it rained, it would go away a little bit more from the air."

"But it wasn't airborne at all," Sam added. "It's from getting your fluids mixed up with someone who's infected or whatever. But CEDA wanted us to think different."

"Now that, I remember," Hunter joined the conversation. "They were giving out shots as if a simple vaccine could protect you. And I was stupid enough to get one…what a waste of cash. That wasn't going to protect us. And we're living proof."

"Looks like the rain came a bit too late for us," Taunter nodded.

"I can remember that rain was also sometimes used as a symbol for sadness in some books I read," Boomer remarked, leaning back against the wall.

"Well, it _is_ sad," Calli said. "I mean, not just the rain. The infection, too. We were actually really lucky. Each of us could have been one of those Commons stumbling around out in the rain right now. But we were made special. And all those Commons…they can't remember anything or talk right…they can't do anything. It really is pretty sad."

"Do we really have to make this even more gloomy than it already is?" Clawer asked. Thunder sounded again, but it sounded like it was getting farther away. Still, the pattering of rain on the ground didn't let up.

"Well…like Smoker said, rain can be good, too," Taunter tried to lighten the conversation. "I mean, Smoker, you said that rain is like washing away people's sins, right? Well, that's a good thing. It's like a clean slate, a fresh start…"

"Forgiveness," Smoker summed it up in one word.

"Yeah, exactly," Taunter nodded.

"Geez," Sam chuckled a little. "One day we're going on about Boomer bile and sports games, and now we're talking about the deep meaning of rain? Exactly what happened?"

"Well, lots of stuff can happen when you're in the dark smushed into people for hours and hours," Hunter shrugged. "…and that sounded really awkward." That managed to get a few laughs out of the others.

"Maybe you should go out in the rain and clean up the awkward-ness," Smoker suggested with a smirk. Taunter suddenly realized that the room was getting brighter.

"Whoa. It's dawn," she said, surprised. "We were up all night."

"Just great," Hunter sighed.

"And the rain's calming down…" Taunter stood up, walking over to the door. She peeked outside, her head getting a bit wet in the now drizzling rain. She went out a bit more, taking a look at the alley.

"So, have we decided that rain is good or bad?" Smoker asked, starting up the conversation again.

"Whoa! Guys, come look at this!" Taunter suddenly called from out in the alley.

"What is it? I don't want to get wet," Hunter called back.

"Come on, hurry! I don't want you guys to miss this!" there was no changing Taunter's mind at this point. Slowly but surely, everyone stood up, careful not to bump into each other, and went out the door, turning the corner into the alley and looking up at where Taunter was pointing to the sky.

"Whoa…" Calli said quietly. "A rainbow! It's so pretty!" There was a rainbow stretching across the sky where the sun was rising, its colors mixing in with the ever brightening sky as the sun rose.

"So…I'm guessing that that's our forgiveness?" Smoker asked. "Forgiveness for…uh…stuff?"

"Arguing and such?" Sam suggested.

"Arguing aside, we're all friends anyway," Boomer said. "Maybe that's what it's trying to say."

"Rainbows can say stuff?" Jeffry asked, feeling a tad confused.

"Sure? Why not?" Mike smiled.

"I bet that it's saying something," Valery nodded.

"Something good, too," Clawer added. Hunter was the only one who hadn't spoken.

"You like the rainbow, don't you?" Taunter asked him.

"Well, sure. It's pretty good. I guess," he turned away a bit.

"Translation: He likes it," Smoker said.

"Fine, fine, I like it! Geez."

"Good," Taunter grinned. "I like it, too." The group continued to watch the rainbow as it faded slowly away.

"Well, it's a brand new day!" Calli announced. "Let's go do something fun!"

"Like sleep?" Hunter asked, feeling tired from being up all night.

"Of course not!" Taunter shook her head. "Come on, we just had a sign that this'll be a good day! So, let's go enjoy it already! Let's go somewhere fun!"

"You know, we still have some food left over from yesterday," Valery said. "Why don't we bring it to that field outside town and have a picnic breakfast?"

"Sounds good to me," Calli said, smiling. Everyone else agreed as well.

"I'll go get the food," Smoker said, heading for the safe room.

"I'll give you a hand," Sam said, and he followed Smoker inside to help.

"I've probably got a blanket we can use in my basement," Clawer added. "I'll go get it."

"Today is going to be a great day!" Taunter exclaimed, excited for the day to come.

"But I'm so tired…" Hunter sighed.

"Oh, come on! Smile!" Taunter took his cheeks, pulling on them to make it as least vaguely look like he was smiling.

"Ow…okay, okay," he gently pushed her hands away, having trouble not smiling. Calli couldn't help but chuckle at the scene, and the rest of the group outside gave some smiles, too.

"You know, I _would_ get mad at you guys…" Hunter paused, "…but, today is supposed to be all special and stuff…so, I won't."

"Well? Are we all ready?" Smoker asked, he and Sam emerging from the safe room at about the same time that Clawer returned to the alley, a large blanket in hand.

"Yup, we're ready!" Taunter nodded. "Let's go! Today is gonna be great…I just know it!"

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Pfffft…my cliché alert is going off… XD Oh well, I liked this anyway, it was sweet. ^^ Lol I got this idea when it started raining…and my power went out, and it was pitch black…and all I could do was write on my laptop since the internet was dead and I couldn't see anything else cause it was night time… XD Lol and strangely, right when I started writing the part with the rainbow, the rain stopped. XD But our power is still out. D: Oh well, I still had fun writing this. ^^ My only qualm…I forgot to put in Claire. *facepalm faceplam facepalm* Well, sorry about that… ^^; I hope that you liked it anyway! ^^


	2. Remembering

Lol I wrote this chapter on the same night as the first one. XD Blackouts give me only one option: Write random oneshots of emotion-ful-ness! Lol. Buuut my laptop's about to run out of battery, so no more for tonight. D: Anyway, I hope you like it! X3

Disclaimer: I don't own Left 4 Dead or Left 4 Dead 2 in any way, shape, or form! I only own my own OC and the plot of the story. Commander of the Rabbids owns Sam. Sorrowsnow owns Calli. Zipper Whippersnapper owns Jeffry. Foxstar-Nikiu owns Valery. Breaking Ground owns Mike. Scorpion 123456 owns Clawer.

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"So, you think that you might have been in a band or something?" Sam asked.

"Uh-huh," Calli nodded. "I mean, I keep on having dreams about it and stuff…so, maybe I really was in a band before the infection! Cool, huh?"

"Yeah, definitely," Sam nodded. "I only remember playing soccer, and that's pretty much it."

"So, you must have been a sporty kind of person."

"Uh-huh."

"Me too, I think," Mike joined the conversation. "I remember running a lot. Maybe I did track or something."

"You know, if we work at it long enough, we might even be able to figure out exactly what we were like before the infection," Calli grinned. "If we try hard enough, I know we can do it."

"You guys sure remember a lot, huh?" Taunter asked, pausing near the circle of mattresses in the alley where the other three sat.

"Uh-huh," Calli nodded. "Hey, Taunter, what do you remember?"

"Who, me?" Taunter asked, surprised. "Well…hm…I don't really remember much of anything."

"Really? Aw, that sucks! I hope that you can remember some stuff soon!"

"Thanks, Calli. Uh, anyway, guys, I have to…um, go do something. See you later." Taunter gave them a quick wave, then started out of the alley at a speed walk.

"Where's she going in such a hurry?" Smoker asked, walking over to the group.

"Beats me," Sam shrugged.

"Hm…" Smoker paused, taking a drag on his cigarette. "Seems kind of weird for her."

"Don't worry about her, she's always cheerful," Mike smiled. "She said that she just needed to do something."

"Well, okay," Smoker said, then headed back towards the safe room. "Hey, Hunter." Hunter was inside, busying himself with trying to open a package of meat from the grocery store.

"Yeah?" he asked, pausing in his endeavor for a moment.

"Taunter just ran off somewhere."

"Uh…yeah?"

"And I think that something might be wrong." There was a long pause. "Well? Are you going to go talk to her or not?"

"W-Well, yeah, duh!" Hunter said quickly. "I was going to go before you even said anything! Sheesh!" Hunter tossed aside the package of meat, then began to leave the room. "Which way did she go?"

"That way," Smoker said, pointing down an adjoining alley. "She probably hasn't gotten very far by now."

"Okay, I'm going to go look for her," Hunter said, starting off down the alley. Smoker paused, watching him go until he turned a corner.

"Well…" he said to himself, scratching the back of his neck a bit. "For now, I'll just have to hope that he's not as totally awkward as usual."

…...

"Hm…" Hunter glanced around as he made his way down the street. "If I were a sad girl…which I will never be…where would I be…?" He paused for a second, sitting down on a car and thankfully not setting off the alarm. "Maybe she really wasn't sad after all. I've got no clue where to look anyway." Then, a thought occurred to him. "Hm…maybe…" He got off the car, going down the street a block or two, then turning into an alley.

"H-Hunter?" Taunter was sitting up against the wall of the alley.

"Hey," he offered up in greeting. "Isn't this the place where I first met you?"

"Yeah, I think so…I just wanted to come here to think for a little while."

"Think about what?" Hunter asked, sitting down next to her.

"Well, it's just…" she paused for a moment, apparently trying to phrase her words right. "I mean…a lot of people back at the alley seem to remember a whole lot from before the infection."

"Yeah," Hunter nodded. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, no, nothing _wrong_ with it," she replied. "It's just…I feel kind of jealous of them. I can't remember anything from before."

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing. And everyone back there, they remember their names, what they used to do, and a whole lot of other stuff, too. But for me, it's just…blank." Hunter didn't say anything, but it was clear that he was listening. "I mean…I really took memories for granted, I guess. You know, it's one of those things that you never know how much you miss it until it's gone? It's like that. I feel all…weird and empty and stuff. Sorta like that. Do you know what I mean?" Hunter didn't speak for a moment. This was getting really deep. He had never been all that good at all that "comforting" stuff. Still, he knew that he had to say something.

"Uh…well, I don't really remember much either," he said. "Not from before the infection, at least. So, I guess that I know what you mean."

"I mean, it's like I've lost what's made me 'me'. Like, a huge chunk of something is gone, and it's not coming back," Taunter sighed. "I just don't know what to do…" Hunter was quite taken aback when he noticed that her eyes were watering up.

_She's gonna cry? _he thought, unsure of what to do next. _Think of something to say! Think of something!_

"Uh…uh…" he floundered for words for a moment.

"Sorry to pour all this out on you all at once," she said quietly.

"N-No, it's fine!" he said quickly. "I mean, it's okay that we don't remember, right?"

"How come?"

"Well, even if we can't remember our old memories, we're making a lot of good _new_ memories, right? We're making new memories every day now! And that…that should make up for the ones that are gone!…Right?" Hunter sincerely hoped that what he had just blurted out had made sense. Taunter was quiet, thinking about what he had said. She didn't say anything for a long time.

_Crap, did I just make her MORE sad?_ Hunter thought, wondering if he had made a bad move.

"You know…" Taunter finally said, "…you're right." She turned, smiling at him. "You're totally right."

"I…I am?" he asked, surprised that what he had said had actually made sense.

"Yup, and you've cheered me up, too! So, thanks, Hunter!"

"Uh…w-well, whatever, anyone would have done it," he said quickly, turning away as he felt his cheeks getting warm. "I mean, I wasn't just going to sit there if you were sad…and stuff."

"And stuff?"

"Yeah. And stuff."

"Well, let's head back," Taunter stood up, Hunter following suit a moment later. "If we're going to make up for all of those lost memories, we've got a lot of work ahead of us! Let's go!"

"H-Hey! Hang on! Wait for me!"

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Awwww. :3 Lol I'm sorry. I needed a pairing chapter. XD If I didn't write one, my head was going to explode. XD Blame the plot bunnies… XD Lol I can't wait to see what those bunnies make me write next. XD Anyway, this chapter lets you see that Hunter isn't always a jerk AFTER ALL! 8D He has been redeemed lol XD Well, I hope that you guys are enjoying these extra chapters! :3


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